Review Case Study 1: Mamadou and Moussa, on page 80-81 in Chang-Muy and Congress (2016). Applying the information from the chapter, as well as other relevant readings and lectures for the week, consider the questions posed on page 80, and reflect on the following in your response:
What social work issues are raised by this vignette (micro, mezzo, and macro)?
How would you prioritize the immigrant’s needs?
What cultural aspects impact the situation and how might this be helpful?
Make sure to integrate information from the reading.
Also comment on the following post (At least 100 words)
What social work issues are raised by this vignette (micro, mezzo, and macro)? The social work issues relative to this vignette are on the mezzo level, as they primarily deal with how the immigrants are affected by their interaction with the family system and their neighborhood. However, if it were determined that the fire was due to unsafe living conditions, there would likely be macro level issues to address around inequities in housing and safe practices.
How would you prioritize the immigrant’s needs? Before establishing a strategy to address the immigrants’ needs, I would treat them as the expert in their own experience and tell me what their priorities and most urgent needs are. I believe that addressing their basic survival needs would be of utmost importance: such as housing, food, financial assistance with burial services and continuing support of surviving family members, etc. I would also ask about barriers that they may have faced prior to the fire in accessing services, to strategize solutions to any social and/or systemic factors that may hinder their ability to recover. From there, I would seek to provide mental health services to help the survivors process the tragedy, and gain an understanding for their beliefs around death and grief to assist with the grieving process or celebration of life.
What cultural aspects impact the situation and how might this be helpful? The sense of community and strong connection to family back home might be helpful to maintain a sense of community while grieving such a huge loss. Also, the tendency toward communal living may serve them well in adjusting to temporary housing while alternate options are located. Finally, given that the community is centered around the mosque, it can provide a great foundation of support to facilitate recovery from the loss.